Mark 11-12: The Widow's Mite

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees were always trying to trip Jesus up.  They thought they were smarter, more learned, than him, but over and over again, he proved them wrong.  Many times, his response was a single sentence.  'Let him who is without sin, cast the first stone.'  'Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.'  But he always cut to the heart of the matter, as in the response he gave when one of the teachers asked him which of the commandments was the most important.
 "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.  The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself."  There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12: 19-31 NIV

He was not afraid to go face to face with those who wielded their religious power like a badge of honor and he was not afraid to cast dispersion on their thoughts and motives.  As he taught, Jesus said, "Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely." - Mark 12:38-40 NIV

Then Jesus sat down to watch the crowds putting their offerings in the temple treasury.  He watched as the wealthy, with much show, gave their large amounts.  But the most heartfelt offering, the one unnoticed by everyone but Jesus, was the offering of the  poor widow who had nothing more than two very small copper coins, worth less than a penny.  Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said,  "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on."  Mark 12:43-44 NIV

It's not difficult to give when one still has enough left over to make sure all of their needs are met.  It's another thing to give out of one's poverty, to give the last thing you have, to give out of true trust and faith.